"Mommy, What is Celiac Disease?" -- book review & giveaway

I heard about this lovely little book when it was published last year on September 9, 2010. There are many celiac kids in our local community and quite a few in our gluten free support group. Yet as a group leader, I had absolutely no materials to help them understand celiac disease. 

Honestly, needing a helpful celiac children's book didn't even cross my mind until a friend (with a celiac daughter) asked me to speak to her local Girl Scout troop a few weeks ago.

(Speaking of which, please sign this online petition to encourage the powers that be of the Girl Scouts to create an allergen free/ gluten free cookie to sell, instead of making celiac girls sell cookies they cannot even eat!) 

The first (and only) resource I thought of was Katie's beautiful book called, "Mommy, What is Celiac Disease?" And I needed a copy ASAP! After doing some initial research I was completely shocked at how few books there currently are that explain celiac disease and the gluten free diet to children.

I quickly contacted Katie and she generously agreed to send me a copy, along with a copy to giveaway to my readers!

Katie's book is perfect for the fall season! With beautiful colors and a simple, understandable story... Katie shares how she helps her daughter understand what celiac disease is. I love Katie's positive outlook on celiac disease and how she helps her daughter understand that life will be just as good as it was before, that they simply have to change some of the foods that they used to eat.

Using language and pictures that children will appreciate and understand -- the story shares simple questions and answers about what celiac disease is, how it affects a child's body, and how doctors and families can treat the disease with diet.

I've read the book twice now and I love the joy it shares. As adults, we often get frustrated or bogged down by the challenges of celiac disease, but we don't think about how blessed we are to be able to make our bodies healthy by simply choosing the right foods.

Katie's sweet story is wonderful to read and I look forward to sharing it with my nephew Christopher when I see him next to help him understand why I have to follow a gluten free diet.

Would you like a copy of this book? Simply leave me a comment here on the blog and tell me who you would share this story with! You have until midnight, Thursday October 6th to enter a comment to win!

And meanwhile if you'd like to buy a copy, Katie offers the books at a discount through her website, where they are actually cheaper than if you were to order them through Amazon! This book would be perfect for school libraries, doctor's offices, gluten free support groups, and just for spreading celiac awareness in general!

vegan banana peach "ice-cream"

The past few months I've been cutting back on my processed sugar intake. So less baked goods, more fruit! I allow myself to have 1-2 servings of fruit a day. Lately, I've been "saving" my fruit servings to use as dessert after dinner.

For years I've heard about people making one ingredient ice-cream in their vitamix or blendtec blenders by simply pulverizing frozen bananas. To be honest, I kinda laughed at the idea. For one, I've never been a HUGE banana fan. Secondly... it just sort of sounded impossible.

But then I tried it. (Here's a quick little video to show you how.) 

And it was another "foot in mouth" moment. It's seriously delicious... and strangely enough -- because it's so cold, it tastes more like ice-cream than bananas! Now generally I have to add about 1/4 cup of almond milk in with my frozen fruit to get my machine to process the "ice-cream" smooth enough -- I think it's because my vitamix is an older refurbished model (I still love him). But that's all I do!

I usually mix one frozen banana with a handful for frozen strawberries or peaches. Sometimes blueberries. Sometimes a generous sprinkle of cinnamon. Sometimes a tablespoon of vanilla. I never have to add sugar. It's completely sweet enough just as it is.

On last night's serving I drizzled a little honey on top. Honestly, it was just for the picture. It absolutely didn't need the additional sweetness.

Have you made "one-ingredient" banana ice cream? What are your favorite combinations? Let's chat! Right here on the blog. If you look over to the left you'll see a blue box just for you. Talk with me. I want to hear about how you would make your banana ice cream.

this week's menu - fall is here

The cotton fields behind our house are finally coming into bloom... it means fall is here. It's my favorite time of year. I love the scent of of coolness in the mornings as I head off to work. I love that it means Honeycrisp apples will be in stores soon. I love the oranges, yellows, and reds of the leaves. It's just a beautiful time.

The focus this week is on simple vegetables and healthy proteins. Some weeks are awesome veggie weeks... other times they seem to get lost between the cracks. So I really want to focus on squeezing more veggies in this week.

Also focusing on no grains and no processed sugar. It's amazing how much grain foods and sugar affect me and how long it takes for my body to not crave it after one day of indulgence! One day. I ate quite a few rice chips on Saturday, I also ate 2 mini cupcakes and some coconut milk ice cream that same day. Consequently... on Sunday ALL I wanted was sugar. All I wanted to do was eat. So I ate nuts. I ate kale chips. I definitely ate. But I didn't eat the sugar or the grains.

And today... it's better. I'm not craving the sugar as much as I was yesterday... This definitely makes it clear to me that my body goes crazy on sugar and grains. But when I'm eating proteins, vegetables, fruit, and the occasional sweet potato and/or bowl of honey-sweetened oatmeal... my body is happy. No cravings, I don't feel deprived. I feel like I'm feeding my body well. So here's to eating well this week.

This Week's Dinner: 

• Sunday - Ground beef and broccoli one pot meal
• Monday - Rotisserie chicken with rutabagas and green beans
• Tuesday - Breakfast for dinner -- scrambled eggs, turkey bacon, almond flour bread
• Wednesday - White chicken chili in the slow cooker -- minus the corn & cilantro (yuck!)
• Thursday - Tuna salad & spinach sandwiches on almond flour bread 
• Friday - Bolognese sauce over spaghetti squash
• Saturday - Grilled chicken over sauteed kale and mushroom 

gluten free peach crisp for one -- an almond flour recipe

The past few weeks I've been using a lot of blanched almond flour in my baking. I am doing this to cut back on sugar and carbohydrates in my overall food plan. Over the past few years I experimented with this low glycemic flour thanks to Elana Amsterdam and her cookbooks... but I've never used it as exclusively as I have the past few weeks... and you know what?

It is SO stinkin' easy!

I had forgotten how incredibly easy it is to use almond flour in baking, especially when you're gluten free. Almond flour is quite healthy as it's high in protein and fiber. To learn more about why I use this flour, check out my GF Baking 101 page.

I've been meaning to share my recipe for an almond flour peach crisp the past few weeks.  I've made it in the oven, in the slow cooker, and now even in the microwave. I meant to make another batch this week so I could take a few good photos of the crisp, but so far I haven't had the time. Yet.... I had a real hankerin' for peach crisp tonight. So I decided to make a personal peach crisp for one. To lightly sweeten the peach crisp, I used a little bit of coconut sugar... but if you'd rather, feel free to use regular sugar or leave it out completely.

I'd say I made this crisp just for you, but I didn't... it was for me. :-P All me. And I enjoyed every single bite of it! But I will be nice enough to share the recipe...

Gluten Free Peach Crisp for One
free of gluten, grains, white sugar, eggs, corn, soy, dairy/casein
created by Carrie of Gingerlemongirl.com
printer-friendly recipe

1 ripe peach, sliced, and peeled if you prefer
3-4 tablespoons blanched almond flour
4 teaspoons coconut sugar, divided
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
tiny pinch salt
2 teaspoons butter, coconut oil, or canola oil

Directions:

1. Place sliced peach in a microwave safe (or glass) cereal or soup bowl. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of coconut sugar over the peaches. 
2. Microwave peaches on high for 3 minutes until they are softened and sugar has caramelized. 
3. In a small bowl mix together blanched almond flour, remaining coconut sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Using a fork, cut in the butter or coconut oil into the almond flour mixture. 
4. Sprinkle almond flour mixture on top of the peaches. Cook in microwave on high for 2 minutes. 
5. Allow to cool for 2-3 minutes before eating. Don't share. Eat the whole thing and enjoy every single gluten free, grain free morsel!! :-) 

this week's menu - cheryl's nightshade stew

Good grief where has the time gone? I feel like it's been ages since I posted a menu. To be honest I've been a bit lazy with menu planning. I've got some projects going on that are taking up a lot of my time and my job gets busy as soon as the fall semester starts! 

Cooler air has blown in this week and it's finally light sweater weather! I love this time of year. Before too long the leaves will begin to change, the local cotton fields will be harvested, and it's already time for the county fair. Maybe this year we'll actually make it instead of having to head to Cracker Barrel instead! 

A few weeks ago my friend Heather A. and I started following a mostly paleo food plan. We are limiting all baked goods to only things made with almond flour and/or coconut flour -- and even eating those things in moderation. We are eating lots of non-starchy vegetables and raw salads, cooked potatoes or sweet potatoes maybe once a week, and otherwise lots of lean meats, eggs, and fruit once or twice a day. 

All I want to eat in the fall is soups, stews, chili... anything warm and comforting. Tonight I'm making Cheryl's Nightshade Stew and I can't wait. I'll be eating this with avocados... hubs may have brown rice. 

Nightshade Stew, recipe & photo from Cheryl of Gluten Free Goodness/Harris Whole Health. 

This Week's Menu: 

• Sunday -- slow cooker roast chicken with potatoes and vegetables
• Monday -- Cheryl's nightshade stew with avocados
• Tuesday -- baked cod with steamed broccoli, mashed rutabagas
• Wednesday -- slow cooker bean soup, picky hubs will probably eat cereal
• Thursday -- slow cooker beef roast, green beans and carrots
• Friday -- out-to-eat OR breakfast for dinner
• Saturday -- toast pizzas with salad. I make my pizzas with almond flour bread (I double this recipe and make a small loaf of bread) and daiya cheese, Michael makes his with Udi's bread and regular cheese. This is Michael's newest dinner creation (trust me, this is seriously creative for him!) and it's made just like these: Pizza Toast.